Harold and Maureen Fry's marriage is in dire straits. Harold is recently retired and spends his days bored. Maureen is unhappy and her communication is limited to snapping and sighing. One day, Harold leaves the house to post a letter in the mailbox. Then he decides he'll just walk to the next post office and then the next. With nothing but the clothes on his back, Harold decides he'll set out to walk 500 miles across England to hand deliver the letter. Along the way, Harold encounters several people who help him discover that he is not alone in his grief or in his struggle to find meaning. Rachel Joyce does this skillfully, as nothing is overwrought or oversimplified. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is an unforgettable debut novel full of wisdom, emotion and poignancy. Do yourself a favor and take the walk with Harold . . . it's a sweet journey of a book.
Jolted out of emotional numbness by a letter from an old friend who wants to say goodbye before she dies, Harold Fry embarks on a 600-mile hiking journey to his friend's side without supplies, an endeavor that stirs up memories of his unhappy marital and parenting experiences. 40,000 first printing.